Myles's Class
by MagixPawn
Summary: A bunch of short stories about Myles’s class. Need I say more? *AUTHOR'S NOTE UP!*
1. Juliana of Domrémy

SUMMARY: A bunch of short stories about Myles's class. Need I say more? 

A/N: I like short stories because they always end. This one ended up like my French class. 

DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Tamora Pierce, except the ones that I make up of course.

(_A/N: All right, this first part, about the drought is supposed to be funny. I wrote that part late last night. It was funny at the time. See what happens to your sense of humor when you hang out around a three year old who laughs at you when you hurt yourself?)_

Myles's Class – Juliana of Domrémy 

The bell rang and the boys filed into the room and sat down in the rows of desks. They only looked slightly more alert than they had ten minutes or so before. But then again, how alert can pre-teenage boys look at 8:30 in the morning? 

A scruffy, mussed, slightly over-weight man, aged about forty or so, entered the room. "Welcome back!" he cried cheerfully. "I trust you all had a wonderful midwinter. Let's get right down to it shall we?" 

A tall boy of about thirteen groaned in the back, his head coming in contact with the desk in an audible thump. His limp, tired-looking brown hair flopped every which way. He took after his father. 

"Gareth of Naxen?" The man smiled pleasantly. "Perhaps you'd like to begin? Could you tell me what year the famine of 385 H.E. took place?" 

"Sir Myles, meaning no offense, it's 8:30 in the morning, and we've just come back from break. My body believes it should still be asleep. I believe it too." Gary had yet to pick his head up, and was probably talking in his sleep. 

Myles smiled and shook his head. "Young Gareth, you make life so difficult." He looked around the room, seeing most of the boys dozing. "Jonathan of Conté. Would you possibly like a go at it?" 

"No sir. Begging your pardon sir." 

Myles smiled and turned to Alan of Trebond. "What about you? The famine of 385 H.E." 

"385. Caused by a drought." 

"Could you perhaps tell me something else that happened during that century?" 

"The code of chivalry was established!" Gary called from the back of the room. 

"Naxen, lovely of you to join us again. Anything else?" 

"The old code was rejected!" the prince cried. 

"I've asked for this haven't I?" Myles sighed. All around the boys grinned and nodded. "All right already. Let's get this over with. What does the code state?" 

Jonathan could recite it perfectly, after spending hours arguing with Myles about it. "It doesn't ask to much from us you know," he told the knight after regurgitating it word for word. "You just don't see it like we do. You're still living in the olden days Myles." 

"Thank you. Moving on. The 400th century, what else happened?" 

Raoul grinned at the prince and added, "They're known as the dark ages." 

"And why is that?" 

"It rained a lot?" suggested Zackary of Kievare, a second year page. 

"People lived in caves?" This came from Douglass of Veldine, a boy in Alan's year. 

"Oh!" Gary yelled, "I know! They'd yet to invent fire!" This threw the class into fits of laughter. 

"Your humor disgusts me. Doesn't _anybody_ in this class read the books that are given to them?" 

Alan of Trebond quietly raised his hand. "Because there was lots of death and disease and war." 

"Very good. What type of wars?" 

"Bloody ones." Gary was having a grand old time making comments. 

"You don't say?" 

Alan sighed and looked at the ceiling. "Gary, shut up before you hurt yourself." The class went silent for a moment, and then Geoffrey of Meron cried, "Well said Alan!" 

Alan smiled and continued with what he had been saying before. "Religious wars and civil wars. Occasionally there was a war about who would marry who." 

"Been reading the book?" Myles smiled at him. 

"I got bored." 

"But you read it none the less. Perhaps you know what happened in 322?" 

Alan looked thoughtful for a moment. "Juliana of Domrémy was burned at the stake after being tried and found guilty of---" he paused, as if unsure of himself. "Witchcraft?" 

"No, not witchcraft. They claimed she dealt with Chaos and the dark lords of the underworld. How they went about proving it is beyond me. They believed that the Sir Lady Juliana was rather 'round the bend,' so to speak. What else did she do?" 

"She won the final battle of the war that was waging at the time," Alexander of Tirragen said. 

"Wonderful. Which battle and which war?" 

"The Battle of Mettlen during the hundred years war. Though it only lasted ninety-two. And a half." 

"Very good Sacharell of Wellam. What else was Juliana of Domrémy known for?" For the way this class had begun, it was moving rather well now. 

"Her body!" Despite Alan's warning, Gary's smart mouth had returned. 

"Gareth? Might I make a suggestion?" Gary looked up at his teacher innocently. "Go back to sleep." 

The class laughed and Gary's cheeks turned pink. Raoul raised his hand. "She was the last lady knight in Tortall's history." 

"Thank you Raoul. Anything else?" Myles turned to Alan who had raised his hand. "Yes Alan?" 

"Sir, do you really think that Juliana will be the last female knight ever?" The boy smiled knowingly and Myles was forced to wonder what the lad had hidden up his sleeve. 

"No. In fact, I believe that the way the country is progressing, there may very well be lady knights come the end of the century, which, mind you, is still some seventy-five or so years away." Alan nodded, a smile still dancing on his lips. 

"Let's get back on track. Whom were we waging the hundred years war with?" 

"Scanra," said Francis of Nond. "Before it was over-run by greedy warlords." 

"Tell me more. Come on boys, I'm a bucket waiting to be filled with your knowledge. Fill me." 

Jon chuckled and raised his hand. "The Battle of Mettlen was advantageous to us because the Tortallans fought it on a hill." 

"You don't say?" 

"I do say," he retorted and was about to continue when a loud snort erupted from the back of the classroom. 

Geoffrey leaned over and poked the sleeping Gary with the tip of his pen, which, unfortunately for Gary, was covered in ink. Gary snorted again and picked his head up. "What?" He looked down at his arm. "You do know that stuff stains don't you?" 

"Well, Sir Gareth the Peacock," Myles said in a laughing tone. "If you hadn't been sleeping in my class," he trailed off. 

"But sir. With all due respect you told me to go back to sleep. Can't you just make up your mind?" 

The boys erupted with laughter and Myles smiled. The bell rang and everyone quickly filed out of the room. Despite it's slow start, the class had been rather satisfying. 

A/N: And despite the good idea of the story, it rather sux! I don't know why I wrote this. I don't think it's very good. It seems like I combined my French and U.S. History class, which just really doesn't seem to work. Yes, that was Joan of Arc they were talking about. However, the hundred years war lasted more than 100 years and Joan of Arc was burned at the stake for witchcraft and heresy. 

By the way, **H.E. = Human Era** (No Immortals.) Just thought I'd remind you. 

**Note:** To those who read and reviewed my story, "An Adventure in Babysitting and Apples" I thank you. All three of you. :D I felt so speshull!!! Thanx again. 

_jilla kala:_ No the kids I baby-sit aren't that bad. They're actually great when they're calm. I just didn't really want Kel going through what their mother went through the other day when her three year old got so wild he threw up all over the place. But you didn't need to know that. P.S. I like your story too – but I've told you that before. 

_Lady Knight of Kennan:_ Was it really that funny? I just kinda liked the ironic twist at the end. 


	2. King Jonathan I and his nephew Roland of...

SUMMARY: A bunch of short stories about Myles's class. Need I say more? 

A/N: Wow! You guys really liked that first one! 4 reviews. And I thought it was a stinky story. You're awful generous. Either that, or your about as tasteless as me. Or maybe, it actually was good. I like that last one. One of my true hopes. I've never been much of a writer. Enough of my rambling. On with the story. 

DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Tamora Pierce, except the ones that I make up of course.

**Myles's Class - King Jonathan I and his nephew Roland of Durdanel**

Myles was sitting at his desk when the boys entered his classroom. As usual it took them some time to get settled but eventually they came to attention. Myles had yet to look up from the book he was reading.

"I say we run out and bolt the door behind us on three," Gary whispered to Alex. Alex grinned. "Ready? One, two,"

Myles looked up just then and foiled Gary's plans. Gary sighed and slouched in his chair. "Gary, I hope you aren't to disappointed." Myles smiled and Gary grinned back.

"No. Not at all," he said nonchalantly, "So what's it today Myles? The Fair Princess Eleanor? Or perhaps that crazy prince What's-his-Face? Jonathan of Conté IV, is it?" Jon glared at him from across the room.

"Neither, but you've come amazingly close."

"Really?" Alex asked disbelievingly.

"Yeah. Really?" Everyone knew Gary was surprised. He hadn't come up with some sarcastic comment.

"Yes. I'm surprised too. Today, it's King Jonathan I, not to be confused with Prince Jonathan IV. Could somebody tell me when his reign was?"

"58 H.E. to 113 H.E." Jonathan answered. "He became king when he was 12."

"That's no fair. He just knows cause he's the prince!" Gary cried out.

"And you're the prince's cousin Gary, but you're so thick sometimes that nobody knows." Raoul said. Gary glowered at him while the rest of the class tried to futilely hide their smiles.

Myles ignored them all. "Thank you Jonathan. Since you seem to have already been educated in the subject," He paused as Gary coughed, "perhaps you'd like to tell us who Roland of Durdanel is."

Jonathan blinked. "Sir, begging your pardon, I've never heard that name before."

"Ah, finally something to actually teach you boys." Myles's face lit up with excitement. "Now then, according to all the history books, Roland was King Jonathan's favorite nephew. What they never tell you of course, is that he was his only nephew, and the heir to the throne as well. I do understand why they leave it out. It'd ruin the fairy tale aspect of the story otherwise."

"But, sir," Francis of Nond raised his hand, "There never was a King Roland."

"If you'll be patient I'll get to that." He walked around to the front of his desk and sat on it. "At the time a war was going on. Does anybody know which war?"

"Another one with Scanra?" Sacharell of Wellam asked, his voice monotonous and bored.

"No," Alan said, "Wasn't it with Tyra?"

"You're both wrong!" Gary cried out. They turned around to look at him.

"So you tell us who it was Gary," Geoffrey of Meron said.

"Maren."

"Gary, you've surprised me again today," Myles said. Gary grinned.

"So, we're at war with Maren, who happens to be on our border because Tusaine does not exist just yet. We've been fighting there for seven years. There are no amazing battles and nobody is winning. What happens next?"

Theodore of Silvermine, one of the quieter boys in the class, raised his hand. "I'm not sure but didn't Scanra attack from the north?"

Myles beamed. "Very good Theodore. So Scanra attacked and everyone was over on the eastern border fighting a stalemate war. Lovely, no?" The boys smiled.

"King Jonathan, smart man that he was, realized what a problem this was and immediately left, taking his nephew and the other 400,000,000 men with him. Don't ask me where they all came from, I'm just the history teacher. They turned around and immediately hit the mountains on what is now Tusaine's eastern border and realized that they now had a rather serious problem. What was that?" Nobody answered. Myles sighed. "I'll give you a hint, they had about 100 carts with them to lug weapons and reserves. Any ideas now?"

"Did the wheels get stolen by bandits?" Gary asked. The boys laughed. "No, I'm serious. I mean, you would definitely have a problem if you were weeks from home and all the wheels to your 100 carts were stolen." They boys laughed harder.

"The bandits don't come in till later Gary," Myles told him.

"Wait," Alan said, "He's right again?"

"Of course I'm right Alan! It hurts to know that you doubted me."

"No, he's not right. But there are bandits." Myles continued, "What really happened was that there was not much room in the passes. It would take forever to get all the carts through and they were on a time limit, remember? So Jonathan decided to leave his nephew and the carts, as well as 20,000 men behind."

"And they got attacked by bandits," Gary chimed in.

"Exactly. You're doing well today Gary. I'm proud of you." Myles smiled at him.

Gary smiled back and ruined the moment by saying, "I'm proud of myself too Sir Myles."

"To continue, Roland and his group were attacked by bandits in their attempts to get through the narrow passes. They were all killed."

"A few bandits killed 20,000 men?" asked one boy.

"There were quite a lot of bandits, mountain bandits travel in large groups hoping to catch something like this, and they were in a narrow pass. The bandits were not only above them, but hidden behind rocks. Roland and the men had no idea where to shoot."

"So the moral of the story is don't ever travel with carts when you're going to go through mountains." Raoul was becoming as sarcastic as Gary.

"They all just died?" Alan asked. "Not even heroically? They just died?"

"Sadly," Myles answered. "However, you'll be happy to know that King Jonathan returned in time to save the country from being over-run by Scanrans."

"That's not a happy ending," Alan said. "How can 20,000 men just die and nothing be done about it? It goes against everything a story should be. There's not even a love story in the sub-plot. Myles, you've never told us such a boring story before. There has to be a twist."

"There is, and you've said it already." The edges of his mouth turned up.

"I have?" Myles nodded. The redhead thought hard, "The love story?"

"Yes. It is said that Roland's beloved, the beautiful Aude, who for some odd reason doesn't come in till the end of the story, and has probably been added in over the years just to please the romanticists like Alan, died of a broken heart upon hearing that her dear Roland was killed by bandits. Does that ending suite you better Alan?"

Alan sighed, "At least there's a more dramatic death other than, 'They were all killed.' That part is just unfair."

The bell rang and the boys picked up their books and left, heading towards the mess hall and lunch. Myles caught Alan before he left. "Like you, Alan, I have always disliked that ending. Perhaps you can re-write it?" Myles suggested.

Alan looked thoughtful for a moment and then shook his head. "No," he told the knight, "But one day, I'll be so great that when somebody says the name Roland, nobody will know who he is. Not that anybody knows now."

Alan grinned and Myles returned the grin with a smile. "Go to lunch Alan. I'll see you tomorrow." Myles watched the boy go. Alan was probably right. Like many of the boys, he just might become one of the greatest knights Tortall had seen in ages, and Sir Roland of Durdanel would be a forgotten legend.

A/N: Once again I returned to French Class. This time, I used Charlemagne and "Le Chanson de Roland." So, like before, it's a true story - sort of. The plot is from, "Le Chanson de Roland," with a few things altered. - with the characters changed around to fit my needs. Don't you love how history works? Though, I'm not sure if Charlemagne became king when he was 12. That might have been Charles Martel (his grand-father). French confuses me so much. Thanks again to those who reviewed. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Speaking of which, if you have suggestions of stories I should put in (like war's and battles and stuff - as that's what he's SUPPOSED to be teaching) do suggest!


	3. Guillame the Conqueror and the Stolen Cr...

SUMMARY: A bunch of short stories about Myles's class. Need I say more? 

A/N: WOOHOO! Much reviews!! Notes come after the story. This time it's Guillame (William for all you English people - I kept the name. It's fun to say.) the Conqueror from France (but what else is new?). Anyway, thanks for the reviews all. Enjoy this one.

DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Tamora Pierce, except the ones that I make up of course.

**Myles's Class - Guillame the Conqueror and the Stolen Crown**

It was pouring down torrents of rain outside on that April morning, but inside, in Myles of Olau's classroom, the atmosphere was sunny. Myles stood at the front of the room, with a map of the Eastern Lands.

"So Myles," asked Gary "Can we talk about Princess Eleanor today?"

"Gary, let me ask you a question," Myles said kindly. "What is your great fascination with Princess Eleanor?" Gary opened his mouth and Alan and the other first year pages covered their ears. Myles quickly interrupted before the thirteen year old could make a sound. "Never mind. I don't want to know." Gary shrugged and leaned back in his chair.

"Sadly, the Princess is not what we will be discussing today. We will however be speaking of her Great-Uncle, who, unless I'm mistaken, you happened to read of last night."

"Myles, I think you're mistaken," Gary told him. Myles smiled thinly and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Thank you Gareth," he said. Gary nodded to him. "Could somebody please tell me who you read of last night?"

Alex was sitting in the back of the room next to Gary, dozing lightly. "Alex!" Myles snapped. Alex jumped and sat straight up looking questioningly at Myles.

"Yes, sir?"

"The answer to my question?"

"Blueberry pie?"

The class snickered. "Thank you Alex, but no. Didn't anybody read?"

Zackary of Kievare raised his hand. "Duke Guillame of Normandie."

"And?"

This time Raoul of Goldenlake answered, "And his cousins, King Edward from the Copper Isles and Harold of Saxon."

"Very good. What did they do?" Nobody answered. Myles looked around and his eyes landed on Alan. "Alan, come up here please."

Alan sighed while Gary hid a smile behind his hand. The small boy rose slowly from his seat and walked up to the front of the room. He hated being the center of attention. "Yes, sir?"

"Alan, did you do the reading last night?"

"Yes," Alan seemed wary. Why was this man picking on him?

"Good. Teach the class today." Myles went and stood at the back of the room, in between Alex and Gary. Jon smiled to himself. Gary was going to get back-handed an awful lot today.

"Sir," Alan said, "Begging your pardon, I don't know how to teach the class. That's why you're here."

"I think you can handle it." Myles added with a smile.

Alan looked around the room and saw all the boys watching him and heaved another great sigh. "Okay, so, Guillame and his cousins Edward and Harold-,"

"Of Sex-on," Gary murmured to Alex who smiled. The two yelped when Myles smacked the backs of their heads.

"No Gary, it's Saxon. Get it right." Jon smiled at Alan, which seemed to give the young boy reassurance.

Alan smiled back and continued. "Yes, Harold of Saxon. Harold was the heir to the Copper Isles throne. Guillame though, was jealous of his cousin Harold and on better terms with Edward, and wanted the throne himself."

"Myles," asked Geoffrey of Meron, "Why would anybody want the throne of the Copper Isles? I thought they were all insane."

"They are. At the time however, the Isles were making a great amount of money on black pearls. There was an abundance of clams in the area. Continue Alan."

"So, Guillame kidnapped Harold and held him prisoner."

"Did he torture Harold?" inquired Douglass of Veldine.

"Yeah? Did he lock him in the stocks and have the people egg him?" This was Geoff again.

"You call that torture?" Jon asked, appalled. "That's so amateur. Down in the dungeons there's a rack of spikes that they'd lay you on. And there's whips. And pokers that you'd heat over a fire. They once stuck a red hot poker up some guy's-,"

"ENOUGH!" cried Alan. "I'm only ten!"

"It wasn't me!" Gary called from the back of the room. "It was all Jon this time."

"Alan, just ignore them," Myles told him kindly.

"Sometimes that's awful difficult. Anyway, Harold promised to give Guillame the throne when Edward died and Guillame let him go. Except when Edward did die, Harold went back on his word and took the throne anyway."

"Was Guillame pissed, Alan?" Alex asked, receiving a strike across the back of his head.

"Yes. He probably was. He declared war on his cousin."

"Is he allowed to do that? I thought only the king could," said Theodore of Silvermine

"Tortall was split up into sections then, with Dukes and Barons to rule the separate sections and a king to rule the dukes," Alan explained, finally getting the hang of teaching. "So he was allowed to do it, so long as he didn't drag the rest of the country into it. In any event, Harold lost, and was killed in battle, and Guillame got the throne. The end!" He bowed and walked back to his seat.

"Thank you Alan. That was educational," Myles said. "Don't you think so Gary?"

"Oh yes," Gary said, still rubbing the back of his head. "Very educational."

"What's the moral of the story," asked Myles.

"Don't piss off your cousin?" Jon suggested, glancing at Gary.

"Keep your promises?" was Raoul's suggestion.

"How about, theft can get you anything?" Gary said, sending a wry smile towards Alan. Alan smiled knowingly. The two seemed to be sharing a quiet joke.

"Thank you for the input Gary," said Myles dryly.

"You're welcome!" He said cheerfully. Everyone rolled their eyes as the bell rang and they quickly left the classroom.

A/N: I know Alanna was never in class with Gary, Alex, Raoul, and Francis in April, but do I care? No. I'll screw around with TP's stories all I want so long as I don't get sued. Another thing I've always wondered about Tamora's books is how Alanna and Kel always manage to skip a year of their lives. It's amazing. Like Kel is 14 at the beginning of Squire, but she somehow manages to turn 16 without ever being 15. And Alanna just skips 14 all together and goes straight to 15. I mean, wasn't she 13 when she went to the Black City? It's just always bothered me. Maybe I'm just forgetting something. If you want, clear it up for me. If you don't, I don't care, thinking about it keeps me entertained when I'm bored. I'm bored a lot.

Another thing. One day, I really will write about Princess Eleanor. I'm gonna have to make loads of stuff up about her, but she'll be fun to talk about. Gary will be ecstatic.

NOTES:

_purpleblue34:_ Thanks for the suggestion. I'll take it into consideration after I watch the movie again. And hey, what about Gladiator? And add in the Immortal factor! Hmm, could get interesting.

_Pen Pen_: Well of course there's no running plot. They're short stories. I get bored if I write anything longer than a chapter, which is why you'll never see a 25 chapter story about Alanna going to the convent (for example). I lose interest fast. It's called writers block. I usually get it somewhere in the eighth chapter. However, so long as there is history, this one will go on (much to your enjoyment I'm sure.)

I'll take the time to point out that they go in no particular order. And if they are Alanna ones, they will always Gary, Raoul, Alex, and Francis in them. Cause without Gary the stories just aren't fun. And if Gary is in there the others have to be there too, since they're all in the same year, and Francis didn't die until after they became squires. For some reason I'm not putting Ralon in here. He's just undeserving of my intellectual creativity (If someone understands what I'm saying, could you just please smack me.)

Plus everyone seems to love Gary. I love him too =D


	4. In Which Alan Confronts The Issue Of Sla...

SUMMARY: A bunch of short stories about Myles's class. Need I say more? 

A/N: Authors note at the end. ON WITH THE STORY! I made up King Derris. He's mine, but use him if you wanna!

DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Tamora Pierce, except the ones that I make up of course.

**Myles's Class - In Which Alan Confronts The Issue Of Slavery (and Gary finally gets what he wants)**

Alan of Trebond walked into Myles's classroom with a small frown on his face. He was followed closely by Gary and Raoul who looked worriedly at their small friend. Myles looked up to see that Alan was sporting a new bruise, this time on his eye.

Alan sat down in his chair, and refused to look up. Gary and Raoul took seats on either side of him as the class began to fill.

"Myles, I have a question." Myles glanced over at Gary and raised a brow.

"No, Gary. We will not be discussing Princess Eleanor today. You will just have to wait until she comes up in class."

Gary sighed and lowered his hand managing to conjure up the look of a upset puppy. Alan smiled at him and raised his hand. "I have a question Sir Myles. Why is it that Carthak still has slaves but none of the surrounding lands do?"

"What makes you ask this?"

"Gary and I were discussing it earlier. We had a disagreement."

"And that's how you got a black eye?" Myles questioned.

"No. Gary was pounding on my door this morning and I fell out of bed." Myles looked incredulously at the small boy while the class chuckled. "It's the truth Sir! You could ask Coram he was red as a beet from lack of breathing when I left." Myles only nodded, a silent urge for the boy to continue. "Anyway, about slavery, I said that King Derris of Conté freed them because he knew slavery was morally wrong, and once Tortall had freed it's slaves it spread through-out the Eastern Lands."

"And why is there disagreement about this?" Myles asked.

"Because," Raoul continued, "Gary believes that Carthak is close enough to receive influence."

"Alright then, I believe we have an unscheduled topic for today." Myles looked around. "Geoffrey, could you perhaps tell me when the slaves were freed from Tortall?"

Geoffrey put on a thoughtful face. "212 H.E.?" he suggested.

Jonathan's hand shot up but Myles ignored him. "No. Douglass, what about you?" Douglass shook his head and Jon waved his hand around. Myles continued to ignore him. "Sacherell?" He gave the same answer. Jonathan waved his hand harder. "Alex? Raoul?" Alex shook his head but Raoul raised his hand tentatively as Jon started to hop about in his seat.

"Sir, I think His Highness will explode if you don't call on him soon," Raoul told Myles. The knight turned to the prince and cocked his head slightly to the left. "Alright Jon. Answer the question."

"221 H.E." He said proudly.

"I was close!" Geoffrey cried indignantly. Myles smiled sympathetically at the first year page.

"Don't worry," Gary told the boy. "Jon cheats."

"I do not!" Jon called out.

Myles ignored them both. "What made King Derris free them though?"

"They revolted?" suggested one boy.

"More like they were 'revolting'!" came the obnoxious voice of Ralon of Malven. (A/N: Wow, where the heck did he come from?)

"Cute Malven," said Raoul sarcastically while Gary rolled his eyes. "Real cute." Alan just shuddered. He and Ralon did not get along. (A/N: But you knew that already.)

"Calm down lads. If you get out of hand I'll have to send you all to His Grace." It was Gary's turn to shudder. "There was no revolt. But there would have been, had he not freed them."

"Myles, that still doesn't answer _ my_ question," Alan told him. "Why was Carthak not affected?"

"Alan, unfortunately I cannot give a straight answer to that, as moral issues rarely have one. Instead, why don't we stick to the subject and discuss the history. What set the slaves free?"

"The king?" Gary answered as if it were obvious. "Myles what type of question is that?"

"He said _what_ Gary. Not _who_." Alan rolled his eyes. "The Liberation Declaration." (A/N: Wow what a stupid name. ::smacks forehead. Get creative MP!)

"Hey, that rhymes." Gary said to himself. Raoul gave an un-gentlemanly snort.

"Thank you Alan," Myles said. "Can somebody tell me something else that happened in the year 221?"

Gary's hand shot up like a weed. "OH! ME! I know!"

Myles just stared at him and turned to the rest of the class. "Does anybody else know something that happened that year?" The boys grinned and looked at Gary. "Anybody at all?"

"Myles I know! I know!" Gary cried. Jon, while watching his cousin, realized that he himself probably got his impatience from his mother's side of the family, the Naxen side. Gary continued to shout. "Pick me Myles! Pick me! I know!"

Myles heaved a great sigh. "Alright Gary."

"PRINCESS ELEANOR WAS BORN!

"Thank you Gary."

"We can talk about her now, right? Since she came up in class! Right?" Gary glared at the knight. Myles only sighed again and muttered to himself.

"I suppose I brought this upon myself," he said to the class. "Alright Gary-"

Just then the bell rang. Alan laughed out loud as Gary's mouth sagged to the floor and watched intently as the thirteen year olds eyes nearly rolled out of his head.

"NO!" Gary cried. "Myles that's not fair!"

"Don't worry Gary. We'll discuss her tomorrow."

"Promise?"

Myles sighed. The sooner they got her over with, the sooner the class could move on. "I promise Gary."

Gary grinned, grabbed his books and practically skipped out the door. He hummed to himself all the way down the hall.

Jon, Raoul, Alex, Francis, and Alan stared after him. "Boy Myles," Jon said. "Are you in for it tomorrow."

A/N: This story is just chock full of Authors Notes isn't it?

This one sucked more than the others. At least in my opinion.

I don't know why you people like these stories so much. Personally I like my "Kel goes babysitting" (AKA: An Adventure in Babysitting and Apples) better. But whatever floats your boat, right? I am running out of ideas however. Though it's not as if I ever intended to write more than one chapter for this. It's become an on-going series though, which is cute. And when I get writers block I can just stop. I like that too.

Anyway, we've got a whole bit with Princess Eleanor on the way, as soon she figures out what she wants. She tells me she doesn't want to come off too scandalous. She obviously does not know how 13 year old boy's mind works. And then perhaps the Braveheart one that was suggested. Don't be afraid to suggest people! I'm not going to bite you!

I'd also like to say that that bit from the last chapter about torture...and the rod. That really happened. I'm serious. To some perverted king of England who had a stable full of "studs" to "mount" if you catch my drift. The country didn't like him much.

Oh and uh, could someone tell me if I'm spelling Sacherell's name wrong? I'm just way to lazy to go upstairs and check. I don't know if that first 'e' is an 'e' or an 'a'. Thanks muchly!

**Notes**:

_TheBlindAssassin_: Gary and Alanna's private joke may be summed up in one word. Or two. George (Cooper). To quote "How about, theft can get you anything?" **Theft = thieves = George**. Yeah. Haha. It's not really funny I know. I don't think Gary and Alan(na) intended it to be funny. Besides, it's been a while since I've been 10 or 13 (I'm 16 now) and I've never been a boy, so I only have my stupid 13 year old brother to go on, and he thinks everything is funny.

_Daemon_: Thanks for catching on to my sad attempts of a joke.

_Tallina Starfire_: Thanks so much for clearing that up for me. I just recently noticed the Kel one. Like two weeks ago recently. And since they skipped a year of Alanna it made it all confusing. Except that means she became Jon's squire when she was 14...like everyone else! OKAY! I GET IT NOW! I've been pondering that problem for years! :D (Sad I know!)

_Jackie_: Yes, it does have all four years, I won't deny that. However the four years are 14, 16, 17, and 18. She's never 15. Count them up. 10 in first test (turns 11 that summer), 11, 12, and 13 in page (turns 14 sometime in the next 2 weeks.) 14, 16, 17, and then 18. Where is 15? Only Tamora Pierce knows. You can check my accuracy. There's those pages that tell you what year it is, they go in order. There are only 4 years but at the end of the book she's 18. (Okay, I got my point across, and I've only said the same thing 20 times.)

And to those who understood whatever it was I was rambling about in the last chapter and gave me a good whack across the back of the head...thanks muchly!


	5. The Princess Eleanor and a Peek Into Gar...

SUMMARY: A bunch of short stories about Myles's class. Need I say more? 

A/N: YOU LOVE ME! YOU REALLY DO! Authors note at the end again. (The last one seemed longer than the story itself.) I'm debating on whether I need to up the rating for this story to **PG**. It's not horrible, not even really dirty. I suppose it just that a 10 year old shouldn't be reading it due to **slightly inappropriate concepts**. Let's all be try to be mature. But then again, I wonder should a ten year old really be reading these books at all? I mean...Alanna: The First Adventure, yes they can read that one. But In the Hand of the Goddess, probably not. And they def. should not read Lioness Rampant do to one or two swears. But that's that. Enough of my ranting, GO READ THE STORY!

DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Tamora Pierce, except the ones that I make up of course.

**Myles's Class - The Princess Eleanor and a Peek Into Gary's Private Life**

Sir Myles of Olau walked into the classroom, knowing already of the large rat's nest that he had walked into. The class was silent and Gary sat at his desk, eagerly awaiting the arrival of his teacher. Despite all his sour feelings, Myles had to smile; never had he seen Gary so attentive.

"You promised Myles." Gary said his eyes not leaving the knight's face.

"Yes," Myles sighed. "I know. But keep in mind that we have to stay on the subject, and not drift as you tend to do."

"I would never drift away from my fair princess," Gary said while staring off into space.

Myles scrutinized the boy for a moment before turning to the rest of the class. "Tell me what you know of Eleanor. And raise your hand please. No calling out Gary." The class snickered.

"Myles, I didn't say anything yet."

"You are forewarned however. Yes, Geoffrey."

"She was born in the year 221 H.E.," he said with a smile.

"You only know that because Gary said it yesterday," Alan pointed out.

"Alright then Alan," the Prince said smugly, "If you're so smart, tell us something we don't know."

Alan grinned mischievously. "I hate to break Gary's heart though."

Gary seemed to come out of his little world for a quick second. He looked at Alan his face clearly showing his confusion. "What do you mean, break my heart?"

"Gary," Alan said kindly, leaning over and patting Gary's arm sympathetically, though his eyes were amused. "Eleanor, sadly, was the major scandal of her time."

Gary looked shocked for a moment and then glared down at his friend. "That's not true!" he cried indignantly. And then, almost as suddenly as it had flared, his temper receded and Gary went back to his own perfect world. "Princess Eleanor was the beauty of her time! Never has a more exquisite figure graced the great halls as when the lovely Princess Eleanor lived. Her radiant splendor shown like a beacon of light. Her eyes the color of the bluest sky and her hair the color of the most magnificent gold."

Raoul sighed as Gary continued to ramble about the princess's everlasting perfection. "Would somebody please shut him up," he called from across the room, "I put up with this enough as it is."

Jon leaned forward in his seat and delivered a good smack across the back of his cousin's head. Gary turned and glared at him. Jon smiled, "That's my ancestor your talking about."

"Well then why did you hit me? Alan called her a scandal," Gary pointed out. "Besides, it's not as if I'm disgracing my love by speaking of her-"

"Alan was correct when he spoke scandal," Myles interrupted smoothly before the conversation drifted to the princess's anatomy.

Jon leaned back into his seat and crossed his arms across his chest. "How so? What'd she do?"

"She slept around."

"Let's try not to be so blunt Alan," Myles told the page.

"It's true though," Alan said.

"How do you know, Alan?" Alex asked quietly from the back of the room.

"I read a book on it once," the small boy answered. "I ought to lend it to Gary. Anyway, for all her elegance she wasn't a very nice person. When she wasn't bed-hopping that is. She was cruel to servants and she was a spoiled brat. That's why she was beheaded when the plebs rioted." (A/N: plebs=lower/working class)

Gary eyed his friend suspiciously. "You're making that all up!"

"I am not. She reminds me of my God-Mother, horrible woman." Alan said with a shudder. Just the thought of Lady Catherine made him sick.

"You're God-Mother sleeps around?" Sacherell asked awed.

"What?" Alan queried, suddenly confused.

"You lads are drifting off topic," Myles said.

"Sorry Myles," Sacherell apologized.

"Tell me what riot it was," Myles continued. Alan raised his hand but the knight shook his head. "Let someone else answer Alan."

"The Market Day Riot?" suggested Douglass of Veldine.

"Market Day? What? Where'd that come from?" one boy asked, utterly confused. Myles just shook his head and waited for another answer.

"The Riot of 244?" Jon asked.

"The Riot of the Plebs?" Raoul suggested.

"Thank you, Raoul," Myles said calmly, still shaking his head at Douglass's comment.

"Wait," Gary interrupted. "Let me get this straight. They killed her?" Myles nodded and Gary frowned. "Why?"

"Because," the knight answered, "As Alan said earlier, she was not a very nice person. She was the heir, and what type of person wants a cruel, selfish, person for a queen. I know I don't."

Gary sighed. "It's too bad she was such beauty then. What a waste." He paused. "Myles, I have one last question."

"And that is?"

"It's for Jonathan actually." He turned to his cousin. "How come you were offended by what I was saying, but not by the rest of this conversation?"

"I wasn't offended at all but, you were embarrassing yourself Gary. I couldn't watch it anymore." Jon grinned as the bell rang, "It was the only way I could think of to shut you up. Well there was one other one."

"And that was?" Alan asked he and the two boys left the room.

"Well I could have said something about Gary's dream?"

"What dream?" Gary asked.

"The one you had last night." Jon grinned further, a mischievous look in his eyes. "Oh Eleanor. I love you so much my fair princess," He said in a mocking tone while kissing his hand over and over again.

Gary glared at his cousin while Alan laughed. Upset, the bigger boy took a swipe at both of them. Alan jumped out of the way while Jon ducked, and the two took off at a run towards the page's mess hall. Gary ran after them, bellowing threats the whole way.

A/N: Okay...I got some great reviews. I'll address those first, just cause I feel like it.

**Notes**:

_crosseyedbutterfly_: A good suggestion. I was going to do that instead of the last chapter (on slavery) but I couldn't quite figure out how to do it without giving Alan(na) away. However...ending up on the wrong side...hmmm. Oh the possibilities.

_StarFire_: Wow, those are the best compliments I've ever received on a writing piece. I'm more for the drawing and photography areas when it comes to arts. "Pure work of a genius... best thing I've read so far..." I have "pure talent"? THAT'S SO KICK ARSE! ::is ecstatic:: THANK YOU! (((HUGS))) Rest assured that when I have a bad day, I will come back and read that review! Time to get egotistical: I love my version of Gary too. It'd be nice to say he was based on someone I knew. He's not. Well perhaps a few someones put together (Like a ::coughsexdeprivedcough:: Romanian that I know - not that he's going to be reading this or anything).

_Temptress_: I SPELLED HIS NAME RIGHT! WOOHOO! And if I get writers block, I will most certainly ask you. That'll be like during the summer, when we're not having history class. It's sad, I have to do research for this story.

_Lady Knight of Kennan_: Wow. Jon really did sound like Hermione. That's not what I was going for. :/ Oh well.

_hyper mage_: I'll take it into consideration, but I'm not sure clothing is something they'd talk about in class, unless there was some type of party the night before.

I think I'm turning Gary into Neal. Though Gary did get love sick occasionally, right? Whatever. I don't care anymore.


	6. Slamming the Noble Girls

SUMMARY: A bunch of short stories about Myles's class. Need I say more? 

A/N: Wow. I feel spoiled. And rather guilty as well. Here I sit, in my big comfy chair saying how much my writing bites the dust and there you people sit in your big comfy chairs saying how unique it is and how talented I am. Honestly, I have the greatest urge to laugh. Forever. G But many thanks goes out for your compliments. I hope it doesn't look like I'm fishing for them, I really do think it sux. But I suppose this is good practice as I stupidly signed up for creative writing next year. Hope we don't have to write poetry. I can be creative enough with stories, but poetry is not my area. Enough of my rambling...

DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Tamora Pierce, except the ones that I make up of course.

DEDICATION: **crosseyedbutterfly**, you should feel so lucky. :D Thanks muchly!

NOTE TO THOSE WHO DON'T CARE AND SIMPLY WANT TO READ THE STORY: This chapter's 'plot' (sort of) was _suggested_ by said crosseyedbutterfly. Perhaps now since I finally took a suggestion to heart people will make _more_! **HINT! HINT! HINT!**

**Myles's Class - "Slamming" the Noble Girls**

Alan had arrived to class surprisingly early. And surprisingly alone as well. He seemed to be in a sour state. Moments later hoots and whoops of laughter arose from down the hall. Myles hardly glanced up as fifteen pre-teenage boys filtered into the classroom.

"Did you actually see her?" asked Raoul of his friend Gary, "Or are you making it all up?"

"I'm telling you, I saw a noble girl trying to shoot a bow!" Gary cried, appalled that his friends thought he was lying.

"I saw it too. She was horrible. The stance was all wrong and the bow was much too big for her." said Alex with a devilish smirk. "I found it all rather humorous actually. I suppose it just goes to show that girls are meant for embroidery and men should do the fighting. I mean, if ladies fought, somebody's bound to break a nail!"

The boys laughed at Alex's joke and Myles stood up commanding the attention of the boys. They all took their seats. Jon, from his seat in the back corner, noticed that something was amiss with Alan of Trebond. The young boy was slightly flushed. At first, Jon thought the lad might be sick but by the way Alan seemed to be staring intently at his desk it was obvious he was embarrassed.

"I hope you boys aren't soiling some poor girl's reputation," Myles said kindly.

"Myles, do you honestly think that a delicate flower, such as a lady, should be messing with things like bows? The ones we use that is. Not the ones they use to decorate their hair." Alex grinned and the boys laughed again.

Before Myles could answer however Alan burst out, "Who says ladies can't use a weapon?" Jon glanced across the room at his friend, wary of the red-head's fiery temper.

Alex studied his young friend carefully. "Ladies aren't supposed to use weapons though Alan. It's not in their training. They're meant to sit around and---"

"Embroider and look pretty," Alan interrupted bitterly. "I know."

"Well there's no need to be snippy about it all," Alex said. "And how do you know?"

"Because I," Alan paused quickly, so quickly that most of the boys didn't notice. But the Prince, and Gary too, were being surprisingly observant that day and noticed the sudden conflict of emotions Alan seemed to undergo in his momentary silence. "I...I have a cousin."

"I have a cousin too," Gary said with a smile on his face and looked across the room at Jon.

"No," Alan sighed looking slightly distressed. "I have a cousin who wants to become a knight."

"Sometimes I think my cousin does to," Gary told him. "And sometimes, I'm not so sure." Jon glared at him.

Alan groaned and stared at his desk. "My cousin's a girl."

"My cousin's not."

"Gary," Jon said sternly, "Shut up before you hurt yourself." Gary did.

"You're cousin wasn't that girl outside was it?" snarled a boy from the back of the room. Alan and his friends turned to see that it was Ralon.

Anger filled Alan's eyes. "And if I said she was?" Jon winced at the sharpness of his friend's voice.

"I'd have to tell you to start denying it in the future," Ralon advised. Myles's eyebrows rose at the suggestion, and he became wary and ready for an outburst.

"Just because she's different and has a goal in her life?" Alan's eyes threw daggers at the boy but Ralon shrugged the look off.

"I have goals in my life," the boy said coolly, looking away from the fierce red-head's stare.

"And pray tell what are those?" Alan asked, a false serene look taking over his face. "Other than bedding every girl in court that is."

"Alan," Myles warned.

Ralon simply sneered at him. "Actually 'Bumpkin', I wouldn't bed your cousin if she offered. The whole lot of you are a bunch of inbred brats." (A/N: Ouch that had to hurt.) 

Alan's eyes flared and Jon saw that the small boy would have leapt at Ralon if Gary and Raoul hadn't grabbed him. "He's not worth it Alan," Raoul whispered into his ear. "Let it go."

Myles knew it was time to interfere, and thankfully the bell rang just then. "That's enough. All of you. Sit down and take out your books."

The boys trooped to their seats but Alan wasn't through, despite the warning looks from his friends and Myles. "You're female relatives are no gems either Ralon." Ralon glanced sharply at Alan who had turned to speak to Alex. "I saw a painting of a cow once. I believe the artist named it 'The Lady Malven'."

Gary guffawed and the rest of the class chuckled. Ralon growled but didn't dare leave his seat. Verbal insults were one thing, but if he were to beat the boy now, he'd surely be in trouble. He'd have to wait until they were alone in the stables.

"Alan," Myles said so harshly the boys looked around as if expecting to find Duke Gareth standing in the doorway. "I believe I told you that was enough. This verbal battle is getting us nowhere and I am quite willing to move on with today's class. If you would like to continue however, there is a room down the hall with Duke Gareth's name on it. I'm sure he'd let you continue there." Myles turned around and took out the book. He turned to to a page in the middle of the book and smiled grimly. "Turn to page 356. Alan, read from the top."

Alan did so, his face full of shame for letting his temper get the better of him. He wasn't paying much attention to what he read until he came across to words that, according to Ralon and a large portion of the boys, with perhaps the exception of Jon, Gary, and Raoul, did not belong together. "_In the years 278 H.E. to 315 H.E. the number of lady knights in existence greatly outnumbered the amount of male knights, with ten to fifteen female knights to every male knight._"

"Myles, there must be a misprint in here," Alan could hear Ralon sneer.

"There is not Malven. Continue Alan."

Alan finished his portion and Myles asked other boys in the class to read. Ralon was never asked. The class flew by and Alan was completely enthralled.

"The most famous Lady Knight, was of course already discussed in this class," Myles was saying.

Gary sighed with a happy smile on his face, "Fair Juliana of Domrémy."

"What happened to Eleanor, Gary?" Jon asked, an amused look crossing his face.

"I am over her. Besides, she's related to you Jon, and there's only so many Contés I can deal with in one day."

"Gary's only upset because his one true love has already slept with fifteen other men and lost her head," the quiet, and practically invisible (A/N: at least in my stories), Francis of Nond pointed out.

Gary grumbled something unintelligible and a few boys smiled. "Myles," asked Gary, "Are there any other well known female knights and warriors?"

"You mean, ones that weren't burned at the stake?" he asked. Gary nodded. "Yes. In fact, female warriors exist in the art of Shang. The Shang Unicorn, one of the best, is female. There is also the Shang Wildcat, whom I have heard is quite good."

"What about female knights?" Alan asked quietly.

"None with so gaudy a name, though the Lady Felissa came quite close." The boys looked confused. "Felissa the Panther. She was however, named for her complexion and not her prowess. Nevertheless she was good."

"So, you agree with me Myles, that females can be warriors?" Alan inquired.

"For my own safety, yes."

"What about for my brain, which is thirsting for knowledge."

"I believe I would still have to go with yes." The bell rang and the boys left. Ralon was the first out the door.

"Alan?" Alex stood in front of him, a look of apology in his eyes.

"Yes?"

"Was that really your cousin in the yards?"

"No." He answered and as an afterthought quickly added, "My cousin's only six."

"Oh," Alex paused and thought. "You aren't angry at me for what I said earlier are you?"

Alan looked up surprised. "No. Of course not." Alex was the last person he expected an apology from. Well, second to last. The boys left, and Alan trailed after them.

_I'll need a name like Felissa's when I'm knighted._ Alanna thought to herself as she followed her friends to the mess hall. _However will I think of a good one? One that will be remembered forever?_

"Hey Alan! You're lagging and were all going to miss lunch! Hurry up!" Raoul called back to his friend.

_Oh well. For now, I'm still Alan. I have eight years __to come up with a memorable name, and with my luck, I'll be lucky if I survive that long. _Alanna shrugged and smiled to herself and ran to catch up with them.

A/N: God, Ralon is mean, though I think I gave him some of Joren's characteristics unintentionally. And Alex is annoying at the beginning of this chapter. Not much information in this chapter I know. It was a fun chapter to write though. I'd love to do a men bashing one, but that would surely give Alan(na) away. That last bit was probably confusing. I won't do that again. But I've already written the cheesy ending, and I don't feel like changing it.

::whistles:: Having lots of reviews feels good. =D Thanks ever so much!

I have to cut back on Author's Notes. They'll end up longer than the story.

**Notes**:

_crosseyedbutterfly_: ::grins and laughs:: You already had yours. Don't be so selfish. :D

_Eternitys Chick_: Thank you for loving me. :) You put me on your favorite stories list!

_Daemon_: Well of COURSE she was a scandal. I had to make her interesting after making you people wait for the 5th chapter to learn anything about her, besides her birth year and the fact that Gary is in love with her that is.

_Blue Eyes_: Very good point. ::ponders a solution:: I know. They're psychic! ::chuckles:: No? Alright, how about it's written on the board. Is there a board? In my story there's a board. And of course everyone is in character. ::said jokingly:: I mean haven't you read the other reviews. I'm _"talented."_ At least that's what they tell me. Thanks for the review.

_Temptress_: Thanks for the idea. I'll work it into a story. I'd also put in some king who owns a brothel, but I'd have to up the rating, and I'm too lazy to do that.

_Lady Knight of Kennan_: This story goes nowhere and to answer your question, random days of History class. My history class is almost this much fun.

_Sapphire Dreams_: Was this longer? I'm sorry if it's not. I would make them longer if I could think of more stuff to put in. There's only so much interesting history I can make up by myself. Er, interesting history that fits in this time period that is. I'm going to find another good scandal and write about that. Or I could write a story about a king that had eight wives. Either way it sounds kinda intriguing don'cha think?

_Princess Sanidaylene_: No. Gary is related to Jon through the Queen (Jon's mother = Duke Gareth's sister = Gary's Aunt). Jon is related to Eleanor through his father. And remember Eleanor existed about 200 years before Jon and Gary. So therefore, in that 200 year stretch of time, there were many marriages. And Eleanor would some form of aunt, not grandmother. And besides...it's really not all THAT ewwey. I'm sure you've had a crush on a cousin before. Like 5th cousin. You were probably eight or so and the thought of incest never crossed your mind. And, Eleanor Roosevelt was a distant cousin of FDR - her husband. And my 9th grade Social Studies teacher married a distant cousin of his without knowing it. Royals married cousins all the time so don't get me started on that. See, it's more common than you think. I'm done ranting now.

_jilla kala_: You're flattering me! ::blushes:: PLEASE KEEP DOING SO! G


	7. In Which Alanna Experiences Love For the...

SUMMARY: A bunch of short stories about Myles's class. Need I say more? 

A/N: If only I was really as good as you people claim. But then again, I under-rate myself constantly. Except in French class...I tend to over-rate myself there. It's usually a mistake. Thanks though. Makes me feel good and gives my ego a GREAT BIG BOOST!

I'm sorry about that Author's Note earlier. I was entertained after re-reading it, so I kept it up. I hate it when authors do that to me though and I wouldn't blame you for getting a little upset, but did I at least entertain you? ::fingers crossed:: Thanks for your help.

Go read the story.

DEDICATION: Arram Salmalin - I'm continuing because otherwise you're likely to bite my head off or something. And I'm using your idea because I like it best. Poor Alan(na). Such girl problems....

DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Tamora Pierce, except the ones that I make up of course.

**Myles's Class - In Which Alanna Experiences Love For the First Time**

(A/N: Alan is Alanna in this chapter. It's all from her point of view.)

It was a cold January day and it was raining. (A/N: We went back in time. I told you it would happen.) "I hate the rain," Alanna mumbled as she walked down the hall with her friends Jon, Gary, and Raoul.

"Say what?" Gary asked, turning to her. She sighed and repeated herself. "It's January. It could be snowing," he told her.

"Doesn't mean he has to like it." Prince Jonathan said to his cousin. Alanna chuckled since this was the response Thom always gave her when he complained of the weather. Thom probably wasn't enjoying himself much up at the city weather wise. Alanna knew from past experience that it was probably snowing up there. She was overjoyed in knowing that she had escaped January snows up North, even if she had to lie to everyone she liked to do so. Her friends did not know that she was a girl.

They turned a corner and reached the classrooms hallway. Oddly enough there were hardly any people there. "Where is everyone?" Raoul asked as they walked down the near empty corridor.

"In class probably," Alanna replied as the bell rang. "We're late." They hurried to Myles's classroom, which was all the way down the hall; the last door on the left.

"Nice of you to join us boys. Take your seats," Myles smiled at them. Not for the first time was Alanna extremely happy that Myles was an easy going man.

Alanna and her three friends fled to the back of the room to join Francis of Nond and Alexander of Tirragen. "Where have you been?" Francis whispered to Raoul.

"We - we got lost," Raoul said quickly as he sat down next to Francis.

Alanna gave a quiet snort. "Lost, eh?" Alex commented from his seat in Jon's usual corner. Upon arriving to class, the boy had jumped at the idea of not only pinching the prince's seat, but at being able to sit as far away from Myles as possible, allowing him to nap longer without getting noticed.

"Shut up, Tirragen," Gary hissed, slipping into the seat next to Alex. Alanna and Jon took seats in-between their two companions.

"Turn to page 233 please. Today we're studying King Jonathan I," Alanna watched Alex sink down into the seat and rest his head against the wall. She rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Myles. "We have already discussed some things about him, such as his reign. Please remind me of when it was, Raoul."

"58 H.E. to 113 H.E."

"And how old was he when he became king, Gary?"

"12."

"Have you been studying Gary?" Myles smiled kindly.

"No. Jon's been lecturing me about his namesakes." The class laughed and Gary grinned at Jon, who's face was overtaken by a deep scowl.

"I'll beat you for that later Naxen," Jon growled. Alanna sighed at her friend's antics and found herself wondering if they would ever grow up. Sometimes they acted worse than the boy's in Trebond's village.

"Read the page and we'll discuss it in a few minutes," Myles told the boys as he sat down. Alanna turned her attention to the book and only barely managed to keep from gasping.

There, printed in beautifully flowing black ink, was Jonathan I. The man may have been dead, and the book may have been outdated, but for some strange reason, Alanna realized that he was probably the most beautiful man she'd ever seen.

_Oh Dear Goddess. I'm in love with a picture of a dead man._ Her mind screamed. _ And not just any dead man, Alanna. You're friend's Great-great-great-and- then-some Grandfather. This is not good._ Alanna's rational side, which seemed to be napping up until that point, suddenly kicked in, and Alanna remembered that she actually had to read the first page. She quickly skimmed it and finished just when Myles stood up again.

"So boys," said Myles, "Tell me something about Jonathan I. Something we haven't talked about."

_He's the most beautiful man alive,_ Alanna thought to herself. _ Er, dead. Wait, what am I **saying**? I'm only ten, and I'm not **going** to fall in love. What is **wrong** with me?_

"He had ten children," Jon said.

Alanna shuddered and Gary saw this. He grinned. "Aw, c'mon Trebond. You wouldn't like having nine brothers and sisters?"

Alanna hadn't realized how obvious she was being, so it was a good thing Gary had misinterpreted her shudder, not that he would have interpreted it any other way. "I can barely put up with Thom," she said quickly. "How would I put up with eight others?"

"Not to mention there'd be girls," Raoul whispered. Alanna figured that he had been a dog in a past life, as he could hear a pin drop in a hay stack from across the stable. Alanna grimaced as Gary tried to suppress his chuckles. If only they knew.

She sighed and turned her attention back to Myles who was asking a third year page who Jonathan's queen was. Alanna sighed. This was going to be a very long class.

~*~

There were only fifteen minutes left of Myles's class and Alanna was not sure she'd be able to pull through. Her friends had looked at her oddly the few times she answered questions and Myles seemed to think she was coming down with something. Life was difficult enough without her developing an infatuation on some dead man in her history book. But Mithros the man was beautiful.

Strangely enough, the minutes passed quickly. While Alanna zoned out into her own little world, the boys became deeply involved in a discussion about Jonathan I and whether or not he should have passed the Alien and Sedition Acts.

"Yes, it was a difficult time with all the spies and such, but there's always spies Myles. He didn't have to go and kill people because they were suspected." Jon seemed set on turning his ancestor into the antagonist.

"You expect us to believe that if there were assassins all over you wouldn't kill suspects?" Raoul asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't kill them. I'd imprison them."

Alex snorted. "Fat chance of that happening if they get an arrow through your back first."

"They wouldn't. I'd be protected by trustworthy knights." The prince turned to his friends and grinned, then frowned as he saw Alan's face staring somewhere at the blank wall.

Myles frowned as well. "Alan?" he called. The page jumped abruptly and looked at the knight.

Alanna swore silently to herself. She was caught daydreaming and now she would pay for it.

"Alan," Myles asked. "Perhaps you'd like to tell us what you were dreaming of this time?"

_King Jonathan I and how I'd have made a beautiful queen for him. Wait, can't say that. Quick Alanna, think!_ "I was uh, dreaming of beating Alex this afternoon?" It came out as more of a question than she intended and she hoped the boys didn't notice.

"What?" Alex looked up and over Jon's head and stared at the red-head. "Beating me at what?"

"Archery," Alanna said quickly. "My aim is better than yours."

"Is not," he glared at her.

"Is too," Francis whispered quietly to Raoul, who chuckled. Alex glared at the two of them and Raoul unsuccessfully tried to cover up his grin.

Myles sighed, "Alan, I'm not quite sure of where you've been all day. Perhaps you're coming down with something?" Myles raised an eyebrow. Alanna just shrugged. The boys all looked at her and thankfully the bell rang. The boys leapt out of their seats and ran to the mess hall. Alanna heaved a great sigh. Never had she loved that bell so much, and she suspected she would never love it that much again. She got up quickly and left. Myles and her friends watched her go.

Jon shook his head. "Something is bothering him," he said to Gary. Gary nodded solemnly and Raoul stared after the small boy.

"Do you think he really is coming down with something?" Francis asked quietly.

Jon shrugged and walked out of the room. His friends followed and Myles turned to the window as the pages trickled out of the room. Something had been bothering Alan of Trebond, and Myles wondered whether or not he should bring it up at the evening meal that night. After a moments thought he decided against it. Alan, like his friends, had an extremely large pride, and would most likely feel offended, or at least slightly upset. Better to just let him sort it out himself, or ask someone for help, than to pry. The only thing Myles could hope for was that the boy wasn't getting into too much trouble.

Alanna's thoughts however, had wandered elsewhere. On her way to the mess hall, she made a mental note to go to the Hall of Portraits (A/N: Was that what it was called?) and see if Jonathan I really was as beautiful as the picture in the book made him seem.

A/N: That was interesting, don't you think? There'll be another one where her heart gets broken. Look forward to it. It's funny...I can base some of it on experience with out ever really experiencing it. Stupid boy, breaking his promise. I hate being 16. Note to all girls who have yet to hit Jr. Year of High School...FIND A PROM DATE IN DECEMBER! Grrrr...stupid boy.

Anyway, here's the thank you's, which is why you read and review the story. Because you just want to end up down here.

P.S. If you actually DO want to end up down here - though I don't know why you would - you give me more than an "I like it" (which is what I used to do, and then realized, "Hey, if actually say something useful they thank me for it."). So, in advance anyway, thank you for wasting your time on me. Go read another story or something.

**Notes:**

_Ash Kinsa _& _Arram Salmalin_: ALL RIGHT! I am a favorite author! ::dances::

_Harry Potter _&_ Skye_: Thanks for your compliments (both of you)! ::grins and feels her ego rise ten points::

_Sapphire Dreams:_ I'd do the Ysandir, but I need some story - be it fable or folktale (though most likely the later, fables don't really give me much) - to base it on.

_opal dragon_: "We're men. We're men in tights. TIGHT TIGHTS!" Alright I'm done. ::chuckles::

_jilla kala_: I think that was Richard II. The one that locked them in the Tower of London and killed them right? Richard II is so cool. Evil uncles rock. (Been hanging out with my British friend to long.) Anyway, TP already did that whole "evil-relative-thing." (She did it twice, Ozorne and Roger. Three times if you want to count Thom - who wasn't really evil, just stupid.) But of course, the characters don't know about it so, that's a possibility.

_Temptress_: You make my life so difficult, you can't just review and tell me, you make me E-MAIL YOU! But at least I know now. I was thinking of Henry VIII, but did he have 8 wives or 6? I once did a project on Elisabeth I, but that was 3rd grade, I don't remember much. Turning a fictional character from another book, into a historical one... hmmm.... major possibility there.

_Starfire_: Chapter 7 wasn't a chapter. That wasn't a chapter. That was me asking for help.

_Daine:_ My history teacher can't draw either, and his handwriting is unreadable. Spelling is atrocious, so don't get me started on it. I used Joan of Arc already, that was my first one. The plague, eh? That's usable. ::grins evilly::

_To everyone else:_ Thanks so much for your help. I have vacation next week, and I believe I'm out of my slump! YAY!


	8. Heartache, Ribyyn, The Rogue, And A Bit ...

SUMMARY: A bunch of short stories about Myles's class. Need I say more? 

A/N: Blah blah blah...nothing to say except VACATION IS KICK ARSE...especially because of that no school factor. Vague reference of slash in here - miniscule...I had to break her heart somehow...so that would up the CHAPTER'S rating to PG. If you want me to up the whole story, I will, but until someone says something I'm not going to.

Go read the story.

DEDICATION: Opal-dragon. The idea was just too brilliant to resist.

DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Tamora Pierce, except the ones that I make up of course.

**Myles's (or in this case-**** Master Oberlin's)**** Class - Heartache, Ribyyn, The Rogue, And A Bit Of Silliness**

Jon, Gary, and Raoul were, not surprisingly, the last ones to class that day. Jon, who was sick of allowing Alex to have the seat in the corner, kicked the smaller boy out. Alan sat with his head resting on his arms, his eyes half closed. Francis sat next to him, leaning on his elbows, a bored expression on his face. Alex grumbled and moved down to the other end of the row, as Gary and Raoul had claimed the seats next to Francis. (A/N: Why am I taking so long to talk about this?...MOVING ON...)

A familiar voice filtered through the rows of boys and finally reached the back row. "Page Trebond, please sit up. And, Page Nond, it would be appreciated if you would sit properly as well."

Alan shot up, a look of surprise on his face. The surprise slowly faded and his face became emotionless, except for his violet eyes, which flickered from shock to horror.

Myles wasn't at the front of the room. Instead, the boys were now subject to an extra hour with the etiquette teacher, Master Oberlin.

Master Oberlin decided to use the philosophy master's suggestion and teach about a famous philosopher that lived well over 400 years before. After only five minutes of discussing the philosopher Ronsard*, everyone was bored out of their minds.

Alan glanced over at Jon, who sent the young boy a sympathetic look. Gary, who sat a few seats over, glanced at his cousin as well. Jon looked back, and winked. Gary grinned, and leaned over towards Raoul. "Let's liven things up a bit, shall we," he whispered. Raoul grinned and passed the message along to Alex. Jon whispered something to Alan. Francis was asleep.

Alan poked his shy friend, as Gary raised his hand. Master Oberlin looked up, surprised. "Yes, Gareth?" Gary winced, and Raoul hid a smile behind his hand.

"Master Oberlin, we were discussing Jonathan I. This is history class after all." A few boys turned in their seats, eyes wide with shock because Gary had reprimanded a teacher that was not Myles.

"Thank you Gareth, but I was left no lesson plan."

"But sir, we were not finished discussing King Jonathan."

Jon saw Alan wince. The prince sympathized with him. Gary had true courage. Either that or he was insane. Jon smiled to himself. Probably the latter.

Alanna, of course, was not thinking of Gary at all. She was trying to think of the politest way possible to interrupt his argument with Master Oberlin and slowly get off the topic of Jonathan I. She'd gone to the Great Hall and seen the portrait, and then, upon reading up on him in the library, had found that he'd owned a harem - of men. This discovery contributed to her "down" mood today.

"Master Oberlin, I apologize for being so assertive, but I must insist that we continue to discuss---"

"Gary, put a lid on it! If he doesn't want to discuss Jonathan I, he doesn't have to." Gary looked surprised at Alan's outburst but Jon seemed greatful. Gary got himself in enough trouble in Master Oberlin's regular class.

"Alan, I'm sure there was a more polite way to do that, but even so I must agree." He paused and thought to himself. "Since I've lost my train of thought, perhaps someone would like to suggest a topic of discussion."

Geoffrey of Meron raised his hand. "I'd like to discuss who stole my 3 gold nobles!" A few boys groaned and Douglass of Veldine let out a bark of laughter.

Alan grinned. "Perhaps ye should keep an eye t' yer purse when ye travel t' th' city next time," he drawled. Gary grinned and stifled a laugh while the other boys smiled at Alan's imitation of the city accent.

Geoff turned round in his seat and gave Alan an odd look. "What?" Alan responded by putting his head down on his arms, his shoulders shaking because of his withheld laughter. Gary was not as polite and laughed out loud.

"You mean to say, you think that I was robbed?"

"No," Gary gasped. "I know you were." And with that Alan lost his control, letting his laughter come.

"And I suppose your an expert on that?" Geoffrey snapped back. Jonathan looked over at Alan and Gary. Both were bright red with laughter.

"More so than you could believe probably," Gary said without thinking as he caught his breath. Alan stopped laughing and shot a look at Gary, who ignored it.

"I feel like I'm being left out of something," Raoul whispered to Francis. Francis nodded in a agreement and went back to watching the antics of Gary.

"Oh really," Ralon drawled lazily from the front corner of the class. "Since you're such an connoisseur on the act of thieving, Naxen, perhaps you could give us a few tips."

Gary glanced at Alan, who shrugged. "Connoisseur, Malven? I didn't know you knew such long words. But since you ask, sure. Don't get caught."

"Helpful, as usual, Gareth," Master Oberlin said, bringing the classes attention back to him. "It seems, that The Rogue has become our discussion topic for the day. So tell me a bit about it."

"They stole my 3 gold nobles," cried Geoff.

"He probably lost them," Alex murmured to himself.

"I did not!"

"They steal from the rich and give to the poor!" yelled out Corik of Eagle's Peak, a fourth year page.

"No they don't," said Francis. "That was Ribyyn of Hadic." (A/N: Interesting name. Where'd I come up with it?)

"What are you talking about Nond?" asked Theodore of Silvermine, a second year page. "Lady Ribyyn of Hadic is a fairy tale. I mean what woman in her right mind would run through the woods stealing?"

"Gary, perhaps you'd enjoy her company?" Jon asked jokingly.

"Sadly, I must decline. She'd run me ragged."

"D'you know what I heard about Lady Ribyyn?" said Zackary of Kievare. "I heard when she got angry, she'd lob off peoples ears!"

"She did not! A girl wouldn't be able to stomach all the blood!" another boy, Parrin of Dardin a fourth year, called back.

Alan and Gary were no longer listening to the other boys. "D'you suppose that's true? About Ribyyn of Hadic?" Gary asked Alan. Alan shrugged and simply answered, "I think we need to ask George where he got the idea."

"It doesn't matter whether or not she cut off people's ears! The point is she was a thief!" Jon yelled from his corner.

"And a bloody good one at that!" Gary added. "The Queen of them all!"

"Are they ruled by a queen?" asked Raoul. "I always thought it was a king."

"It is a king," Jon said, always the know-it-all expert. "He's wanted by my Lord Provost. There's drawings of him all over the city."

"Maybe," Alan said, "maybe it's just a cover up. It could be a Queen with the title of King and---" He stopped realizing that what he was saying wasn't making any sense at all. Gary tried futilely to cover up his grin. Alan just leaned over and whacked the back of his head.

Master Oberlin chose this short break in silliness to call the class back to attention. "Before the bell rings, I've an assignment to---" He was interrupted by the clanging of the noon bell, and before he could continue the boys had fled the room.

Sighing to himself as he picked up his things, he thought how lucky he was to have the boys for etiquette and not history, especially if it was a madhouse like this everyday. He smiled to himself and made a mental note to ask Myles about that.

*Ronsard - A real live...more dead at the moment, person. Though, he was a French poet as opposed to philosopher.

A/N: Woohoo! Cable modem! My anger at my ex-prom date has steadily increased. He has been "listed" (it's actually a "bad word" that I won't use.) by one of my friends and he is currently on 'MagixPawn' deprivation. Which basically means that I'm not going to speak to him until I feel like it, and as I didn't like him very much in the first place that probably won't be ever again.

Would someone tell me if I stupidly have my email address posted? I'm too lazy to find out myself. I'm suddenly getting emails about this from people I don't know. Not that I mind. Mail is good! Just, uh...if you find out my name, tell me and keep it to yourself (Right Temptress? =D)

Not many reviews last time. I'll assume that that's because I got knocked off the front page early. Oh well, better luck next time. My ego's already inflated enough, this will not do anything. Oh and here's an idea...give me constructive criticism before I start to believe I'm perfect.

**Notes:**

_Temptress: _You give me a new set of initials every single time. **WHY?**

_opal dragon: _BRILLIANT!!! ((((hugs))))

_TheBlindAssassin:_ Not a bad idea. I need another strictly male profession. Are women allowed to become master mages?

_Starfire_: Chapter 7 was an author's note. I was begging for help. I think that's what you're asking me, but I'm not sure.

_The Insane Muses:_ You frighten me. :D


	9. Monkeys and the History of Tortall (Take...

SUMMARY: A bunch of short stories about Myles's class. Need I say more? 

A/N: I love vacation! Too bad it's over.

**_I'M SIXTEEN! NOT TEN!_**

Go read the story.

DEDICATION: Temptress...for giving me an idea...and motivation. :D

DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Tamora Pierce, except the ones that I make up of course.

**Myles's Class - Monkeys and the ****History of Tortall (Take 1)**

By now, Alan had adjusted to the daily schedule. Awake to Gary pounding on his door, go to breakfast and eat whatever Gary put on his tray that morning, sleep through the first three classes, do some work between the bells, and finally - to finish off the morning, go to Myles's class. That's where he was now. A few minutes early, but there nonetheless. Myles however, was not. Gary was perfectly happy with that. He stood up in the front of the room, chalk piece in hand, drawing on the board. Jonathan walked in and stopped, watching his cousin curiously.

He grinned and winked at Alan. Silently he tiptoed up to Gary, placed his hands on his hips and cried, "Gareth!" The voice so closely resembled that of Duke Gareth of Naxen, Gary's father, that even Alan jumped a bit. Gary had wigged out completely; there was the shriek of chalk and long white line ran down the board. Gary turned on his cousin. "Look what you made me do! She was perfect! You messed her up." He gave a final sneer at his cousin and then turned back to the ruined picture. Wetting his finger, he cleared off the large line, and then went back to drawing.

Alan went up to the front of the room and joined them. "What are you doing anyway Gary?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he asked without taking his eyes off of the illustration. "I'm drawing Lady Karin."

"Lady Karin?" Alex asked, standing up as tall as he could and glancing over his shoulder. Alan and Jon had been watching Gary so closely that they hadn't seen Alex, Raoul, and Francis walk in. Other boys had come in as well, and were taking their seats. Jon decided that it was time to grab his favorite spot for anybody else did. Alan and the others followed his lead. Gary stayed up at the front of the room, finishing the sketch. Then he placed the chalk back on the desk and took a seat next to Alex.

"It doesn't _look_ like Lady Karin," Alan said matter-of-factly. "It does resemble a monkey rather well though." Francis snickered and the others hid grins. Gary simply glared at his small friend.

"You just don't know a work of art when you see it," Gary told him indignantly.

"It would be a work of art if it was supposed to be a representation of a monkey as opposed to Lady Karin of Griffin's Peak. Her arms aren't that long."

"Fine!" Gary cried, and stomped up to the front of the room. Once again, taking the chalk from the desk, he walked up to the board and scrawled 'Lady Karin' underneath the picture. He put the chalk back on the desk and plodded back to his friends. "Happy now?" he asked gruffly, standing in front of Alan.

"It still looks like a monkey. Even with her name underneath it."

"There's just no pleasing you, is there?"

Alan shook his head and grinned as his friend took his seat once again. "No, not really."

Myles chose that particular moment to enter the room. He stopped and starred when he saw the drawing on the board. When he turned back to the class, he had a look of confusion on his face. Alan watched as Gary sank down in his seat, and he tried uselessly to stifle a wave of chuckles. Raoul was turning red from withheld laughter and the grin's on the other's faces were too large cover with a hand. Myles shook his head. "I won't even bother asking."

The shaggy knight walked over to the desk and leaned on the edge of it. "Now then. Let's get down to business. Any suggestions as to what we should discuss today?" No one spoke. "None? How strange. Well then, I guess we'll just have to discuss whatever I want to."

"Is that supposed to be a punishment?" Alex asked.

"That depends on how you look at it." Myles grinned and grabbed a book that was on the desk behind him. "Would someone like to tell me what this is?"

"A book." Alan rolled his eyes. It seemed that no matter how embarrassed Gary was, his mouth never stopped flapping.

"Wonderful Gary. What's it called?"

Gary squinted and tried to read the cover. "The Fuming of the Kinden of Titall?" he managed. The boys in the front row burst out into laughter and Myles hung his head, trying to hide the smile. "What?" Gary cried crossly. "That's what it looks like."

"No it doesn't," Jonathan told him with all his usual arrogance. "It says 'The Founding of the Kingdom of Tortall.' You dumb ---"

"Very good Jonathan." Myles interrupted.

"Maybe that's why Lady Karin looks like a monkey," Alan whispered to Francis. "Gary couldn't see what he was drawing." Francis smiled and Gary glared at him and pinched the boy's arm. Francis jumped.

"His eyesight may not be very good, but his hearing isn't too bad," Francis whispered back, rubbing his arm. Gary snarled at them and pinched his arm again. This time the boy yelped.

"Is there a problem Francis?" Myles asked kindly, shooting Gary a warning look.

"No, not at all," he replied. "Except..." he paused for a moment and then continued. "Myles, when they founded Tortall, were there monkeys here?"

"I beg your pardon?" the knight asked. Jon smiled. Myles was confused for the first time ever it seemed.

"Were there monkeys here?"

Gary reached over and pinched his friend again. "Ow," Francis hissed. "Would you stop it?"

"Only if you shut up!"

Myles was still looking at the boys oddly. "I suppose it's the city atmosphere," he said to no one in particular, "because you lads just get more and more peculiar every time I see you. Might we return to the original topic now?" No one answered. "Good. Now, Tortall was founded in what year?"

Jonathan leapt out of his seat. "Ooooh!"

Alan reached over and grabbed her friend. "Your Highness," he hissed, "sit down and let somebody else answer the question for once."

"Like who?" he asked snobbishly. "Gary?"

Gary glared at his cousin and called out. "Tortall was founded in 236 B.H.E."

"Thank you Gary. From now on, please raise your hand." Gary's only response was to moan and roll his eyes. Myles frowned and ignored him. "B.H.E. stands for what, Alex?"

"Before the Human Era. Which means there were immortals when Tortall was founded."

"But no monkeys," Alan whispered to Francis. Gary shot them a look.

"Thank you Alex. Geoffrey, tell me what an immortal is, just incase nobody knows."

"An immortal," Geoff began, "is an animal that lives forever? Well not really animal, more like a being."

Myles nodded. "Could someone give me an example or two?"

"Dragons and Unicorns," said Douglass.

"Stormwings and Spidrens," suggested another boy.

"What about flying monkeys?" added Francis. Alan gave an ungentlemanly snort.

"It's getting old," Gary whispered to them. The two boys just shrugged.

"Will someone tell me who the founder of Tortall was?" Once again, for the third time that day, the class was silent. "Jonathan?"

Jon shook his head. "Boys, this is disappointing. Usually you talk so much." He sighed and walked around behind the desk, lifting up a crate. "I'm sorry lads, but I have to do this." And then he pulled out a book. Alan's eyes widened. _Not another one!_ Another book was not appreciated. The other one had only turned class into a nightmare. (A/N: See: **In Which Alanna Experiences Love For the First Time**)

"Come on boys."

"Myles you can't do this to us," Alan said.

"Then participate."

Raoul's hand shot up. "The founder of Tortall was," he paused to think. "Myles, there wasn't really a founder. I mean, wasn't it a war or something?"

"Very good. Tell me about it." Myles smiled. His hand still on the book.

Francis raised his hand tentatively. "There was a king. I don't remember his name. And he had three sons and daughter. And when he died, the sons all wanted to be king, so they had civil war. Am I right so far?" Myles nodded. "So there was this big civil war that covered Tortall, Tusaine, Tyra, and Maren. And," he paused unsure of himself. "I don't remember the rest."

"I do," Alan said. "While the sons were fighting, their daughter went and fell in love with a neighboring prince, who was the youngest of ten boys so he figured he had no chance of ever getting the crown for his country. He got pulled into the war when her brothers refused to let her marry him. So when the war ended, they split up all of the lands. The son that quit first got the smallest amount of land and the son that won got the largest."

"Very nice Alan."

"But then how did the countries get named?" asked Sacherell.

"They named the countries after themselves," Alan told them. "The son Tustin won Tusaine, Tyron won Tyra, and Martin won Maren."

"Well what about Tortall?" one of the boys in the front of the room asked.

"Tortall was named after the daughter. Tortalla."

"Wonderful Alan. See I knew you lads, didn't need books." He turned to the board, "Art lessons perhaps, but not books." Gary turned pink.

"It wasn't me sir!"

"I never said it was," the knight said with a smile.

The bell rang and the boys filed out of the room. "We will continue this discussion tomorrow. I expect more participation!" The boys ignored him, their minds on their stomach, not their education. Gary, Alan, and Francis were the last out.

Myles turned around, intending to erase the picture, and saw the scrawl underneath it. "Lady Karin?" He turned to Gary, who was passing by the desk at the moment. "You really do need to work on your artwork lad. I thought it was a monkey. A very bad one at that."

Alan and Francis snickered from the doorway. Gary whirled around and shot them a death look before leaping at them. The two small boys jumped out of the way and then raced down the hall. "See you tomorrow Myles," Gary said before chasing after his friends. Myles heard him bellowing threats all the way down the corridor.

A/N: I tried to make this one as long as possible. I'm not sure it worked. Hope you enjoyed it, and I'm sorry it took so long to get up!

**Notes:**

_Ash Kinsa_: Quite honestly, I would make them longer...but I do run out of things to write and if I make them too long they tend to get stupid.

_Daemon_: Thanks for the suggestion. Will try. Now, to reiterate about that whole famine thing in the first chapter; I wrote a note at the top. It was like 3 a.m. when I wrote that. It was supposed to be funny. It comes off stupid. If you really want me to try that part again, e-mail me and I will.

_Marienne Oakley_: Yes, Jonathan I was homosexual. I am a twisted person. I had to get her off the crush somehow, though, making him homosexual doesn't really do that, but I won't have to bring him up again. She'll get over him.

_Insane Muses_: Your frightfulness has not decreased any.

_DarkDracon0_: Hurrah for you - because you discovered me. And because you were reviewer #100 (as well as #98 and #101 and quite a few after that as well.) I'm 16, not 10. I wish I was a talented 10 year...but then I might be like that 8 year old phenomenon in my homeroom. So maybe I'm lucky I'm 16. Update YOUR story soon!

_Temptress:_ Look it's up. Are you happy?


	10. Princess Condwiramurs Gwenhwyfach of Sca...

SUMMARY: A bunch of short stories about Myles's class. Need I say more? 

A/N: I'm so sorry that I haven't updated this story in forever, but I had no inspiration. I have a half a chapter written, but I lost interest in it. Anyway...now that school is back in session there are things that I can write into this story. So without further ado...the much awaited chapter 13 (11 w/out author's notes) of Myles's Class.

DISCLAIMER: Characters/Places that you recognize do not belong to me (duh). Antimony belongs to me, but her story belongs to Sophocles - who wrote her story before there was such things as copyrights, so it's really not stealing at all.

Dedication: All y'all for still loving me after my long sojourn.

**Myles's Class - Princess Condwiramurs Gwenhwyfach of Scanra or The Truth About Fairy Stories**

Myles watched as Alan of Trebond entered his classroom. The boy looked as if he'd just woken up and rolled out of bed. His hair was unkempt, his eyes were red with bags under them, and his clothes were wrinkled. In fact, if Myles hadn't known better, he could have sworn that they were the same clothes the small boy had worn yesterday.

Alan walked to the back of the room and sat down next to his giant friend, Raoul. Alan however, hardly acknowledged his older friend. Raoul was the most easy going person Myles had ever met, and he had met a lot of people. The only people that were completely immune to his nonchalant attitude were his friends. Myles hid a grin as he heard them exchange early morning grunts.

"Ullo," Raoul said groggily.

"Uh."

Alan slumped down in the chair, his arms folded over the desk, his head resting on them. Raoul was engrossed in the book he was reading.

It was silent in the room, except for Alan's quiet breathing and the continuous turning of pages by Raoul. The silence, however, was soon broken by the young, exuberant, Gareth of Naxen.

"Good morning, boys!" he cried out cheerfully as he practically skipped to the back of the room. He loudly, as well as obnoxiously, dropped his books onto the desk next to Alan, making the young redhead jump. Raoul was still unperturbed.

Alex joined them just as Alan was about to strangle Gary for disturbing him. This amused Alex to no end, and he laughed heartily as the smaller boy tried futilely to beat up his friend.

Other boys filtered into the room; Francis of Nond and Prince Jonathan arrived just as Alan tired of alternately kicking and punching his friend. Raoul was still reading.

"Just what is so interesting about that blasted book, Raoul?" Gary asked, annoyed that he was not the complete center of attention. Raoul just shrugged. Gary frowned and reached out, grabbing the book and pulling it away from his friend in one swift movement.

"Hey!" Raoul cried out in surprise. "Gary, stop being such a twit. Give it back!"

"A twit," Francis murmured to himself, pondering his friend's odd choice of words. "Did you really just call him that?"

Raoul ignored his quiet friend and continued glaring at Gary. Gary turned the book over, making sure his finger kept the page, and glanced at the title of the book.

His eyes widened. "Bleaker's Tales," he read aloud. "Fairy stories Raoul?"

Raoul sighed and rolled his eyes. "Give it back Gary. It's my sister's."

"That's a lie," Gary said as he flipped to the page Raoul had been reading. "Why would you want to read one of your sister's books?"

"Because there was nothing else?" Raoul suggested.

Alan, quiet up until this point, came to his friend's rescue when he saw that Gary was about to be joined by Alex in his attempt to faze Raoul. "Why do you care Gary? It's just a book. Besides, why should it matter if he reads fables or not?"

"Fables?" Jon asked.

Alan nodded. "That's what Bleaker's Tales are. At least, that's what they're believed to be up north."

"But don't fables have some element of truth in them?" Gary asked as he scanned a page. "These seem like pure folly if you ask me."

"We didn't ask," Raoul snapped as he grabbed the book away from his friend.

"Bleaker's Tales _do_ have an element of truth in them Gary," Alan sighed. "Haven't you ever heard of Miache and the Dominion Jewel? Or of Antimony?"

"The Dominion Jewel is made up," Alex said sourly. "And Miache, though he existed, never did any of the things that Bleaker's Tales say he did."

"Whatever you say Alex. But you yourself admit that Miache was a real person."

"Yes, I do."

"So there is an element of truth."

Alex shrugged. "I suppose. What's this story of Antimony you were talking about?" he asked, just as the bell rang.

"Take your seats boys," Myles said to them. As he stood in front of the class, explaining what they would be discussing that day, Alex whispered in Alan's ear.

"Who's Antimony?"

"A girl," Alan whispered back.

Alex shot his young friend a look. "I know that. Who was she?"

"She was a princess, in some foreign land, who defied her king for the love of her brother."

"Oh, how romantic," Alex said with a roll of his eyes.

"Alexander and Alan," Myles said from up front. He never snapped, but the boys could tell that he was peeved. "Perhaps you'd like to share whatever you were discussing with the rest of the class?"

Alan shrugged. "Gladly, Sir Myles. We were discussing Princess Antimony, and her tragic death."

"That old fairy story that my sister makes me read to her whenever I'm home?" asked Douglass of Wellam.

Alan sighed heavily. "Yes, the fairy story. Only it's based on actual events." He looked to Myles for support. "Antimony was a real person, though that wasn't her name."

Myles mouth was turned upwards in a faint smile. "And her real name was?"

Alan blinked at Myles. "I can't quite remember what her name was, Sir. It's in one of my father's books somewhere. It was long, and strange. I think she was the princess of Scanra. Or was it Carthak?"

"Scanra and Carthak are two entirely different places, Alan," Gary said.

"I'm aware of that," the young boy snapped back.

"It was Scanra," Raoul said lazily.

Gary snorted. "This coming from the boy who reads his baby sister's story books."

Raoul ignored the insult, and Jon came to his friend's defense. "She's nine. That's old enough to go to the convent. Therefore, she's nearly a woman."

"In your eyes," his cousin fired back.

"Oh, ha ha."

Myles cleared his throat. "Would it be possible to get back on the actual subject?"

"Would that be the original subject, or the second one?" asked Francis.

"Either, so long as there is no longer any discussion of young ladies."

Alan raised his hand, "That would be hard Myles, considering the fact that Antimony was a young lady."

"True, but Antimony is a historical figure, albeit a barmy one."

"Sir?"

"Mad. Insane. Crazy. It ran in her family."

"I wonder if Alan's related," Gary joked with a grin. Alan's only response was to growl at his tall friend.

"Might we get back on track? Antimony is based on the Princess Condwiramurs Gwenhwyfach of Scanra." (A/N: read Gwenhwyfach as Guenevere - you know, King Arthur's wife.)

"_Condwiramurs?_" Jon stared at his teacher. "Myles, you must be joking. No sane parent would name their child, _that_."

"I believe, it was already stated that the royal family at the time was insane. And they usually called her Gwenhwyfach. As I was saying, Antimony is based on the Scanran Princess. Alan, perhaps you can tell us what happened to her?"

"Uh. I can tell you what happened to Antimony," he suggested. "That story is much more interesting than the one that I remember from the history books in my father's library."

"Whichever."

"Well, first, you have to know about Antimony's background. Her father was also her half brother."

"How did that happen," asked Geoffrey of Meron with a raise of his brow.

"Simple," Alan answered. "He killed his father and married his mother. How else would you do it?"

"Why in the _world_ would a man do that?" yelled Alex. "It would put a triangle in the family tree. I hear that marrying one's cousin is quite popular in Scanra, but marrying your mother is slightly ridiculous."

"He didn't know that they were his parents," Raoul explained. "He was abandoned as a baby."

"Still," Alex began.

"Might I continue?" Alan interrupted. Alex nodded ruefully. "Thank you. Anyway, he married his mother and had four children."

"_FOUR?_" Francis cried out in disgust.

Alan sighed heavily. "Yes, four. Two girls and two boys. The brothers Ariel and Perris, never really got along, so when their father-"

"Half-brother," Alex pointed out. Alan merely ignored him.

"When he died, they argued over who would take the throne. They were twins you see, and no one was absolutely positive on who was born first. So rather than have a combat to the death, which was the original idea, they decided to share it."

Jon felt it was time to put in his two coppers. "That's stupid. And the story is getting predictable. Whoever got the throne first didn't want to give it up right?"

"Right," Alan answered. "So Perris, that was the son who was going to rule in the second month, ran off and married a clansman's daughter. And then he came back with that clan's army, prepared to take over."

Raoul picked up where Alan left off. "They fought a bloody battle or two, but in the end both of the sons died, leaving only their uncle to sit on the throne. Said uncle felt that Parris was a traitor, and refused to let anyone bury the body. This angered Antimony, who, being a girl, felt that family was the most important of all things."

Alan snorted and when Raoul gave him a questioning look, he said simply that he knew some girls that would disagree with him. Raoul continued, "So Antimony went and buried her brother, going against her uncle's wishes and breaking the law. Her uncle, unable to go against his own decree, even for the sake of his niece, was forced to have her killed. But rather than behead her, he decided to bury her alive in a tomb with some food."

"You're missing some of it," Alan interrupted. "Antimony was engaged to her Uncle's son."

"Her cousin?" Alex asked with a raise of his brow. "Isn't her family screwed up enough already?"

"Quiet Alex," Myles said. "Let them finish."

"Yes, Antimony was engaged to her cousin Dalaise. But marrying your first cousin was quite popular back then, especially in Scanra. That's why the families were all insane."

"So, what happened?" Francis asked.

"Well, there are two endings. In one, Antimony kills herself in the tomb, and Dalaise, who comes to rescue her, finds her dead and kills himself as well. And in the other ending, he rescues her and they run away and live happily ever after," Alan explained.

"Now," Myles said, "that's the story that sprouted from history." The boys turned their attention from the back of the classroom to the front of it. "The real story, is about Princess Gwenhwyfach. As in Antimony's story, there was a civil war going on, except Gwenhwyfach was the only daughter of a Scanran warlord. Unfortunately for her, this Scanran warlord happened to be the father of her fiancé. When Gwenhwyfach's father refused to let her marry the boy, she ran away and did so anyway."

"Let me guess," Gary said. "They lived happily ever after?"

"No. When her father found out what she'd done, how she'd disobeyed him, he disowned her."

"What about the man she married," Alan asked, his face blank and emotionless. Not for the first time did Myles wonder if the young boy was hiding something.

"He was shot and killed, by his own father no less."

Gary's hand shot up. "Why would a father _do_ that? Yes, the boy did go and marry his enemy's only daughter, but you can't tell me that his father was completely heartless, Myles. The boy was his son. Insanity is no excuse either. I'm sure that if Alan, who's got just as much insanity in his family as in any Scanran one, disobeyed his father he wouldn't be shot."

"Sometimes I wonder," Alan said quietly with a grimace. Alex and Raoul took it to be a joke and hid their grins. "Of course," Alan continued, "It would be death through boredom, since Father can hardly pick up a bow, much less shoot one."

His comment got a laugh from the class, but a scowl from Myles. "Alan, I, personally, do not care what you have to say of your father at all, but I would appreciate it if you said it in your own free time. And not in front of anybody who cares." Alan did not answer, only looked down at his feet. "As for Gwenhwyfach's husband, it was an accident. Gwenhwyfach and Dashé were riding, and his father mistook them for the enemy."

"What happened to Gwenhwyfach?" asked Douglass.

"She became so upset she ended up starving herself to death."

The bell rang. Silently all the boys filed out.

"That was a really depressing class," Alan said quietly to Jon as they exited the room. "Almost as depressing as the next one."

"What next one?"

"Mathematics," the redhead said with a groan.

Jon laughed, and the two boys walked down the hallway.

FIN

A/N: Okay, that really was a kind of depressing class. You can see I tried to lighten the mood, perhaps unsuccessfully, at the end. I don't think it worked. But you can't always have a happy ending to these stories. Anyway, it didn't turn out like I had expected, but at least I wasn't torturing Gary (lol Bryt). Or did I torture Gary? I can't recall, and I'm too lazy to go back and read it. So yeah, it's taken like 4 months to get another one of these up, but the point is it's there. Not my best work I know. I'm outta touch with Myles's Class. Gotta get back in the groove.


End file.
